The Boston Marathon Explosion

There was an explosion at the Boston Marathon today, bringing the race to an unthinkable and tragic end.  There are no words to explain how I feel about the incident, and I feel there are many out there who share that sentiment.  Simply put, our thoughts and prayers go out to all those involved and I hope that justice is served to those responsible for this incomprenhisble act of cowardice.

Pintrest Motivation: How to use Pintrest to Motivate you to Run

These days, you can look to websites like Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, eHow, DIY, and others to gain a little perspective, knowledge, and guidance on how to build things, where to find things, how to network, and how to do something cool.

Pinterest is one of those sites.  It is social media wrapped up in pictures and videos "pinned" to various "Boards" that users create.  You can create as many boards as you want, and if you browse the site for just a few seconds you can see that people are pinning all sorts of random things they come across online.

I like Pinterest Pins of Built in Patio Kitchens. I also like Pinterest Pins of Running Quotes that are pasted across pictures of Runners, Swimmers, and Cyclists in training and races.  It is one thing to read a quote, but reading that same quote when it is associated with something visual like a picture of Steve Prefontaine crushing his competitors, takes it to another level.

Make your own that motivates you. It doesn't really matter what it is, as long as it impacts you in a way the prompts you to do your thing.  Run.

Have a look at my Pinterest Board and see what I mean: Pinterest Motivation

Running More: How to ramp up the mileage

These past four weeks have been relatively active as I have gotten back in to running, and cycling. Still haven't made it to the pool, but I am really more interested in getting stronger on the run, and certainly on the bike.

Most of my runs have been during my lunch hour at work. That means treadmill running for as many quality minutes as I can squeeze in. I've been ramping up the time on the treadmill instead of focusing on mileage because the treadmill sucks and I mileage just isn't the same as on the road.

This makes ramping up the running duration and intensity fairly easy. Since I am only dealing with minutes, I can do 35 minutes on my easy days and 45-50 minutes on the harder days. Those harder days include intervals, hills, and anything else I can think of to make things interesting.

Best of all, I get a good workout and can stretch, shower, and walk back down the hall in about an hour. It is a nice way keep active during my busy schedule at home and work.